Steve Spurrier, SEC's greatest icon, is still a Florida beach boy at heart

September 21, 2013|Mike Bianchi, SPORTS COMMENTARY

At the time, Meyer was on his way to winning his second national title at UF and seemingly about to turn Spurrier into a fading Gator memory. Now, fast forward five years later to a Gator Club in Gainesville a few weeks ago where the guest speaker brought up a scenario by which Spurrier's South Carolina team would play Meyer's Ohio State team for the national championship. When UF fans in the room were asked how many of them would be rooting for Spurrier under such a scenario, all 300 or so people raised their hands. Meyer didn't get a single vote.

"Spurrier," Finebaum says, "has returned to his rightful place in Gator history."

Hard to believe Spurrier is closing in on 70 years old now. He's 68 and not nearly the rascal he used to be. He's not the "Mouth of the South" anymore and is much more respectful of opposing coaches. The man who simply used to torch other programs is now a national torchbearer. He's become coaching's most vocal advocate for giving college players a little extra spending cash from the billions being made by the nation's big-time institutions of higher earning.

Believe it or not, he's even become more magnanimous and merciful. He's had two well-documented feuds with media members during his coaching profession – one with former Orlando Sentinel columnist Larry Guest and the other with current columnist Ron Morris of the The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C.

Spurrier, who has been known to hold a grudge for years, has finally let go of the bitter feelings that caused him so much stress. He was watching an early morning TV news show this summer when a woman came on the screen with a list of "five ways to make you a happy person."

"No. 1 on the list," Spurrier says, "was to forgive everyone for everything they've ever done. So that's what I decided to do, and I feel a whole lot better because of it."

The words we once used to describe him were "brash, cocky and arrogant."

Now, we use words like "gracious, reflective and forgiving."

Either way, he's one of a kind; unlike any other football coach we've ever known.

Paul Bear Bryant once said, "I ain't never had much fun. I ain't never been two inches away from a football. Other guys go fishing … or hunting or golfing, and all I want to do is be alone, studying how not to lose."

Stephen Orr Spurrier once said: "We're gonna take the boogie boards out and catch us some waves."

Cue up the Beach Boys, Orlando, the most iconic figure in SEC history is coming to town.

Catch a wave and you're sittin' on top of the world.

mbianchi@tribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at BianchiWrites. Listen to his radio show every weekday from 6 to 9 a.m. on 740 AM.